International Migrants Day 2019

On 18 December, International Migrants Day, we remember all migrants, refugees and displaced people around the world who risk their lives to find a safer ground.

In 2018 alone, the global number reached to a staggering 70.8 million people including refugees, asylum seekers and internally displaced persons[1] who were forced to flee because of conflict and persecution.

Decades of systematic discrimination, statelessness and targeted violence in Rakhine State, Myanmar, have forced Rohingya women, girls, boys and men into Bangladesh for many years, with significant spikes following violent attacks in 1978, 1991-1992, and again in 2016. Yet it was August 2017 that triggered by far the largest and fastest refugee influx into Bangladesh. Since then, an estimated 745,000 Rohingya refugees—including more than 400,000 children—have fled into Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh.

As a host country, the Government of Bangladesh has kept its borders open to fleeing Rohingya and is leading the humanitarian response. The people of Bangladesh continue to show exceptional hospitality in the face of human tragedy on a massive scale. As refugees or forced migrants, life in a new country is limited by language, culture, legal status, or physical abilities. Survival became the first priority. This is where humanitarian organisations like Action Against Hunger/Action Contre La Faim (ACF) step in to support the government to address the needs of the affected population.

Since august 2017 till october 2019, we have provided emergency nutrition services to 34,594 children with severe acute malnutrition and 34,824 children with moderate acute malnutrition.

Nutrition impact story of Yasir

Seven months old Yasir was first admitted at our Outpatient Therapeutic Programme (OTP) centre in September 2019. His mid-upper-arm circumference-MUAC was 118cm which meant Yasir was identified with Moderate Acute Malnutrition. During his treatment period, Yasir was still not improving and he was referred to a Stabilisation centre for in-patient care to rule-out any medical complication. As situation improved, Yasir was sent back to outpatient nutrition services.

At present, Yasir is admitted to receive Targeted Supplementary Feeding Programme (TSFP) support and is regularly followed-up for Growth Promotion and Monitoring. Young children like Yasir are at high risk of undernutrition due to various trigger factors including their living conditions in the refugee camp, poverty, lack of nutritious food and care practices.

The act of migrating may take hours, days or several months. Caring for the influx of millions of people escaping conflict, persecution and trauma often presents the bigger challenge. The responsibility to ensure basic human 

rights such as access to food, shelter and safety cannot fall only on host countries. It is a task for everyone in the world.

This International Migrants Day, with the increasing number of displaced populations, it is more important than ever that we stand with those who risk their lives to find safety, shelter, and a life free of violence. We are thankful to our donors, such as our long time donor the European Union, for their continued support.